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Chemical Safety Information - Glossary
Ames Test
The Ames Test is used to assess whether a chemical might be a carcinogen. It assumes that carcinogens possess mutagenic activity, and uses bacteria and mammalian microsomes to determine whether a chemical is a mutagen. Approximately 85% of known carcinogens are mutagens. The Ames test, therefore, is a helpful but not perfect predictor of carcinogenic potential.
